Books

By Umar Yakubu

Nigeria, the vibrant heartland of Africa, stands at a critical juncture. Its vast and porous borders, intended as gateways to prosperity and regional integration, have increasingly become conduits for illicit activities that threaten the very fabric of our nation. From the insidious flow of arms and drugs to the tragic realities of human trafficking and the relentless tide of insurgency, the challenges facing our border security apparatus are more complex and urgent than ever before. This book, “Shielding the Heartland: Rethinking Nigeria’s Border Security,” is born out of a profound concern for our collective safety and sovereignty, and a deep conviction that a paradigm shift in our approach to border management is not merely desirable, but indispensable. For too long, the fragmentation of responsibilities among various agencies, coupled with systemic vulnerabilities such as corruption, political interference, and a historical lack of accountability, has left our nation exposed...

By Umar Yakubu

Corruption remains one of the most serious problems facing Nigeria today. It is a disease that weakens the foundation of good governance, distorts public institutions, and slows down economic growth. The effects of corruption are visible in every aspect of life, from dilapidated infrastructure to poor public services, from rising poverty to declining public trust in government. This book, Public Sector Corruption in Nigeria: Causes, Consequences and Reforms, provides a comprehensive study of corruption, especially as it affects the Nigerian public sector. It aims to give readers, students, scholars, policy-makers, and the general public, a deep understanding of what corruption is, how it operates, and what can be done to combat it. The book begins with the meaning and scope of corruption, giving a clear explanation of the different ways corruption manifests in public life. It explains the causes of corruption, ranging from weak institutions to lack of transparency and poor leadership...

By Umar Yakubu

Nigeria, a nation of immense potential, consistently finds itself at a crossroads. Despite abundant human and natural resources, its promise remains largely unfulfilled, shadowed by a persistent challenge: the pervasive lack of accountability. This carefully curated collection of my writings over a few years examines how a system where misdeeds often go unpunished has become deeply ingrained, with its effects painfully manifest across almost every facet of national life. The absence of consequences for wrongdoing, be it corruption or negligence, erodes citizens’ trust in the state and its actors or agents – whether politician, public servant or the even the regular individual, while stifling development, and perpetuating the cycles of poverty and injustice. Each exposé on the rot that has calcified into a national malaise, seeks to shed light on the systemic failures and cultural nuances that are contributing to this phenomenon of poor accountability. The essays seeks to provoke thought,...